Fish Tagine

Ingredients

If you're after a flavoursome dish, you really can't beat a tagine. This North African take on fish stew has a tomato base infused with spices, preserved lemon and fennel. It's healthy, delicious and can be on the table in less than an hour.

1-2tbsp olive oil

2 large onions, roughly chopped

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1tbsp finely chopped root ginger

1tsp ground cumin

½tsp paprika

½tsp crushed fennel seeds

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1l fish stock

1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1kg firm white fish fillets, skinned and cut into 3cm slices

1 preserved lemon (optional, but good)

1tbsp chopped coriander

Method

Heat the olive oil in a heavy-based oven proof casserole dish. Stir in the onions, garlic, chilli, ginger and spices. Cover and cook gently for 7-8 minutes until soft. Add the tomatoes, fennel and stock, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Halve the preserved lemon, discard the flesh, and finely chop the rind.

Add the fish and preserved lemon to the sauce and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Serve scattered with coriander and accompanied with couscous.

Top Tips

Use firm white fish for this recipe. Check with your fishmonger for a sustainable fish, or try Icelandic cod or snapper. This can be prepared a day ahead, up to the end of Step 2. When ready to serve, reheat the broth, then add the fish and cook for about 10 minutes.